Hyundai Hope On Wheels Awards $10.5 Million In Research Funding During National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — In its 17th year of battling childhood cancer, Hyundai Motor America and its non-profit organization, Hyundai Hope On Wheels® today announced that it will award $10.5 million in research grants to hospitals across the U.S. during September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Hope On Wheels’ Every Handprint Tells a Story September campaign theme honors the brave children and families throughout America fighting against this terrible disease. Since 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded over $100 million in lifetime funding to childhood cancer research.

“There’s no higher calling than to make sure our children have the best future possible and it’s both an honor and privilege to support such an important cause,” said Dave Zuchowski, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “While we are making positive strides in many areas of pediatric cancer, there’s still work to do. And it also doesn’t change the fact that every 36 minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer. Reaching the milestone of $100 million in giving is something we are proud of at Hyundai but the fight continues and we are determined in our mission to one day find a cure. To all the kids, families and cancer researchers on the front lines of childhood cancer – know that you are not alone and we remain committed over the long-term to this important cause. ”

2015 National Campaign: Every Handprint Tells a Story and PSA

Hyundai Hope on Wheels 2015 campaign Every Handprint Tells a Story is articulated through its refreshed web portal HopeOnWheels.org and new Childhood Cancer Awareness Month microsite HopeOnWheels.org/September. The theme conveys how every child’s handprint is unique and represents their stories, dreams, desires and hopes, whether completing a round of chemotherapy, celebrating a beautiful new head of hair or playing their favorite sport.

Visitors to the portal and social media channels will find a series of videos profiling child cancer patients and their parents and families with stories of bravery and hope. The website will also include research project overviews from the 2015 grant winners and provide an interactive element, where visitors can lend their own hand in the fight by changing their social media avatar, sharing a child’s story of courage and hope on social channels or donating to fund research. Each week a family’s story will be selected and shared on the Hope On Wheels website and social channels. Hope On Wheels will also launch a new public service announcement (PSA) that asks the public to join Hope On Wheels and add their hand in the fight to #EndChildhoodCancer. Kids, fathers, mothers, doctors and supporters who all have a vested interest in telling the story of kids’ battles with cancer bring the video to life. The PSA can be seen on the Hope On Wheels website and can be shared on social media. To join our effort, please visit the Hope On Wheels website and “click” ‘Add My Handprint’ to join the fight against childhood cancer. Hyundai mailed one million decals to existing Hyundai owners and dealerships. Customers may pick them up at local Hyundai dealerships across the country to show their support for September.

“Hope On Wheels together with Hyundai’s 800-plus dealers across the country have been fighting this terrible disease for 17 years by funding life-saving research,” said Hyundai Hope on Wheels Board Chairman and Managing Partner at Southpoint Hyundai Texas, Scott Stark. “Our Every Handprint Tells A Story campaign is focused on telling every chapter of this unfortunate story that is childhood cancer. Pediatric cancer is an issue that affects children and their parents, siblings, caretakers, friends and loved ones. Cancer knows no income, community, gender or race. We invite the public to join us in this fight by adding their hand in the fight to end childhood cancer.”

Hope On Wheels Visits Washington D.C.

Hope On Wheels annual September campaign also includes “DC Days,” a series of childhood cancer awareness building initiatives in Washington, D.C. to honor the brave children, families and medical researchers on the front lines battling kids cancer. The organization will hold a joint press conference with members of the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, co-chaired by U.S. Representatives. Cancer survivors, including Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassadors — 11-year-old Kenny Thomas from Carson, CA, and 12-year-old Ashley Burnette from Raleigh, NC, will address the audience and share their first hand experiences with cancer. Many of the country’s leading pediatric oncologists, policy makers, members of Congress, Hyundai executives, Hope On Wheels board members and childhood cancer survivors will also participate in a press conference at the Rayburn House Office Building.

Thought Leaders’ Summit, Washington, DC

The second annual Hope On Wheels Thought Leaders’ Summit brings together the country’s top pediatric oncologists and this year’s Scholar Grant recipients, providing an arena to explore and discuss the progress in childhood cancer research and exchange ideas and new thinking. Led by Dr. Leonard Sender, Executive Director at the Hyundai Cancer Institute at CHOC Children’s, and Dr. Lisa Diller, Chief Medical Officer of Dana-Farber Children’s Hospital Cancer Care and the Clinical Director of Pediatric Oncology, everyone at the summit shares the same goal: find a cure to end childhood cancer.

2015 Hope On Wheels National Tour

Each year, some 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, making the disease the leading cause of death by disease for children in the U.S. This year Hope On Wheels is traveling the nation in a Hyundai Tucson to the respective children’s hospital grant winners. The organization’s signature handprint ceremony is held at each event, where pediatric cancer survivors dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on the vehicle.

The highly-competitive Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant program is open to the over 200 Children’s Oncology Group member institutions engaged in pediatric cancer research in the U.S. Grant winners are selected by a scientific review panel. See below for the complete list of Hyundai Scholar winners in 2015.

New $1 million Hyundai Quantum Grant Award Research Grant

Hyundai Hope On Wheels has introduced its largest research grant to date. The $1 million grant category — Hyundai Quantum Award –will enable four children’s hospitals to each receive $250,000 per year for four years. The $4 million investment will support life-saving transformational research on cancers with low survival rates. The Quantum grant is open to eligible Children’s Oncology Group (COG) member institutions and the winners will be announced later this year.

2015 Hyundai Run 4 Hope Series

The 5th Annual Hyundai Run 4 Hope run/walk series kicks off this year on September 27th with all proceeds benefiting childhood cancer research. Races this year will be held in Fountain Valley, CA (9/27), Chicago (9/27), Atlanta (10/24), Dallas (10/24) and Fort Lauderdale (11/15).

For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and to view a list of Hope On Wheels 2015 grant winners, please visit http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org/research. Follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at Facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels , Twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or Instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels. Join the movement by posting a message of encouragement to children and families using the hashtag #EndChildhoodCancer and @HopeOnWheels.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 800 U.S. dealers. At the end of its 17th year, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will award more than $100 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. Hyundai Assurance includes Assurance Connected Care that provides owners of Hyundai models equipped with the Hyundai Blue Link telematics system with proactive safety and car care services complimentary for three years. These services include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostic Alert, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and in-vehicle service scheduling.